2008 Interbike Briefs - Part 5

Reviews & Tech

2008 Interbike Briefs - Part 5

Dave looks at new products from CamelBak and the bike fit system from Bikefit.com.

Dave looks at new products from CamelBak and the bike fit system from Bikefit.com.

CamelBak

DO: Seth from CamelBak is telling us what’s new for cyclists.

Seth: Our biggest product is the CamelBak RaceBak. It’s the first wearable hydration system. It enables you to wear your water without having straps. It’s perfect for time trials and road cyclists. It’s a base layer fabric that’s moisture wicking with a 72 oz reservoir. Another product we have coming out is the CamelBak Podium ChillJacket bottle. It’s the first insulated bottle that’s cool without compromise.

DO: I want to interrupt you. When I saw this I didn’t believe it. I’m calling it the magic bottle. Explain some of the characteristics of the bottle.

Seth: People have been asking us to come out with a thermal bottle and we wanted to take our time and do it right. We wanted to hit some points which were maximum volume capacity per size, squeezability, and high flow rate out of the valve. It has the same jet valve as our Podium bottle that we launched last year. It’s a double wall bottle and features closed cell high density foam. It has true taste and anti-microbial treatment to prevent fungal build up. The valve is self sealing with a 90 degree shut off to completely seal off the bottle.

DO: Quick, easy and simple.

Seth: Quick and easy, high flow, no compromise. It’s the thermal bottle that everyone is going to want to use. We’re really excited about it. It will keep your water cold for two plus hours.

Seth: We have one more big launch called the N.V.I.S. back panel which is the next generation of our DVS back panel. We revamped our best selling pack to give it cross flow ventilation.

DO: The air ventilation looks to be a key feature. You’re not going to have that sweat strip down your back.

Seth: It’s multi directional...the points that actually are in contact with your back have an air mesh with EVA foam so you can load your pack with tons of weight and have nice cushioning. We built in rain covers in the bottom of the pack.

DO: I typically see thought and great ideas from CamelBak. I like that you are constantly improving your products.

Seth: Innovation is the name of the game in the office. We are constantly asking what we can do to better our products. I invite your readers to check out CamelBak at www.camelbak.com.

Bikefit

DO: I’m talking to Paul Swift of Bikefit.com and the name implies what you’re all about. Obviously, bike fitting is important. What do you do that’s specific to the rider to make sure they’re on the proper bike and positioned on it correctly?

Paul: You said a couple of different things there. One, why it’s important to be on the proper bike. The proper bike is just a start, that’s sort of a bike sizing process. But bike fitting, what do we do there? We really look at how you connect to the bicycle. For example, you can adjust the components to fit the person…but we spend a lot of time at the connection points. It’s kind of like buying a really nice suit and you go to the tailor to make it fit perfectly. We’re like that tailor.

DO: Where can people go to get their bike fit?

Paul: There are many bike fitters out there. We try to work with fitters that haven’t necessarily gotten brand specific. We work with everyone. We’re at www.bikefit.com and we’re listing those dealers and have a new list coming out very soon. We have the bikefit pro where a bike fitter gets professional education but also they get continuing education so the end user can also go here.

DO: So Bikefit Pro will essentially work as a consultant to the consumer?

Paul: Part of that difficulty is not just finding a good bike fitter...but how do I pick the best one? We really need to help put that connection together. I will say as an industry we haven’t done that well with it. We are definitely improving at it and I guarantee we will improve at it a lot more.

DO: I notice that in your display I see the bottom of a person’s foot. Why is that?

Paul: The most important connection to the bicycle is your feet. If you get a foot wrong and magnify that by the pedal strokes in one ride…most injuries occur with a slight misalignment over time. Where do all those misalignments start? With the foot.

DO: I see you’re taking measurements on the bare foot.

Paul: We start there. There are so many more adjustments. A good bike fitter will show that to the customer.

DO: It sounds like you have the knowledge and knowhow and that you can provide a service to the rider.

Paul: Thank you for saying that. We’ve been working at it a long time and been collecting data. Our goal is to have people ride their bikes and enjoy it and have comfort.